Jason Buckingham

Marching BandConcert BandGeneral MusicMusic TheoryPublic Relations
Written By Dr. Elisa Janson Jones
Request Mentorship
Jason Buckingham Headshot Music Teacher Guild

I have been involved in music education my entire career in a variety of roles. From a designer/arranger, band director, adjunct professor, and manager. My experience varies from the West End of London to the NFL to the classroom. I have been involved in the Marching Arts has a performer, teacher, and manager for 4 decades. I am the only Brass Caption Head to lead a corps into DCI Finalist status, in 2 seasons or less and in 3 different decades (Blue Knights- 1996, Colts- 2007, Crossmen-2012).

I am also a member of the Blue Knights Hall of Fame. I seen and been on the forefront of many of the trends and innovations in the Marching Arts. This includes being on the music staff for the Emmy and Tony winning musical, "blast!."

 
 
 

  • The core of my teaching philosophy has been emphasizing the value of work. On an individual and group level. Music provides an amazing lens and laboratory to develop the skills that can make all the difference in the quality of a persons life.

    On the granular level, this takes the form of consistency of approach in the "x's and o's" of musical performance. Training a player and an ensemble to be excellent at taking a quality breath, for example, and building the habits that set an high standards and produce the kind of performance experiences that can change lives.

  • I have over the past few years sat with marching band staffs/directors to watch their shows and go through them identifying "uglies" from design and performance aspects. Also, I have set appointments to just simply talk shop and offer advice to young directors just wanting advise, from building culture to managing the daily grind of the job. I have also been a mentor for a new mentorship program for the Berklee College of Music.

Connect in the Music Teacher Guild Commons
 
Dr. Elisa Janson Jones

Dr. Elisa Jones designs and scales learning systems for organizations and individuals. With an EdD in Instructional Design, an MBA in Strategy, and 20+ years building education platforms, she combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution experience.

She works at the intersection of people, systems, and technology—helping leaders and learners see what's actually working and what needs to change. Her approach is diagnostic, grounded in real-world constraints, and focused on outcomes that stick.

Learn more about her work at sovereign.plus, elisajones.ai, and the Music Teacher Guild.

https://elisajanson.com
Previous

Brandon Kurzawa
Next

Brent Rose